Blasting-powder composition



der compositions of the character above described will actually have several times less tendency to ignite inflammable gases and dusts or mixtures thereof, than the current commercial grades of blasting powders. That is, charges of my safetv blasting powders (hereinbefore defined) that I am able to fire into certain inflammable gases and duets or mixtures thereof, without igniting them, are several times the weight of current commercial blasting powder charges, which will ignite the same inflammable gases and dusts or mixtures thereof, under like conditions. -4

It should be expressly understood that the scope of my invention is broadenough to. include any manner of introduction ofl the cooling ingredients; namely carbohydrates and other non-explosive, oxygen deficient organic'substances, such as paraffin, rosin and the like. Thatvis, the said cooling ingredient or ingredients may be introduced in various ways,'to suit conditions; as for instance, actual incorporation with the other ingredients or incorporation with only a portion of the other ingredients or included as separate granules but mixed with granules of the other ingredients or with the grains of commercialV grades of blasting powders, etc.

It should also be expressly understood thatthe scope of my invention is not limited to any particular physical form of safety blasting powders. That is, the physical form of said safety blasting powers may vary in any manner whatsoever, to suit commercial application; as for instance, graniles, pellets, powders, cubes, cylinders, etc.

Summarizing, my safety blasting powders consist Yof one or more carbohydrates and other non-explosive, oxygen deficient vorganic substances, such as paraiiin, rosin and the like, in any practicable quantity (preferably from 1 to 35%), used in combination or singly with practicable combinations of sodium nitrate alone or mixed with othermetallic nitrates, sulphur and materials that' are essentially carbon.` Other ingredients may also bey added to the above in minor quantities and still be within the scope of'my invention, such'as organic or inorganic compounds, that will absorb heat through the reduction of oxygen or bytheir volatilization during the decomposition reactions or by their liberation of water of crystallization or combination of ysuch causes.

are.

Y Y rendent. Sodium nitrate 54 V44V 54v 47 Potassium nitrate 10 f l 8 Sugar 5 20 Starch 28. 13 17 Sulphur 4 5 A 6 ypical formulae, by way of examples, l

Per cent. Charcoal 19 15 18 14 Lignite 4 Rosin 2 2 Parafiin 2 3 4 My investigations indicate that I may vary the physical,characteristics of my 1mproved safety blasting powders through variation of their densities, granulations, physical forms, etc., and produce similar effectiveness to the grades of blasting powders now used in the coal-mines in the United States, with theadvantage of being much less apt to cause Vthe very terrific coal-mine disasters that occur when the inflammable gas anddust mixtures, contained therein, are ignited. I may also see fit to add other ingredients to my safety blasting powders, as hereinbefore defined, in order to produce the most desirable combinations of effectiveness and safety.

If carried into effect, ,through substitution of the above described safety blasting powders for all the present types of so-called blasting powders, used in American coal mines, my invention will cause the improvement, hereinbefore described, of over 70% of all the explosives used for blasting coal in the United States.

(Sce United States Bureau of Mines Technical Paper 340-.-page 9.)

I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A blasting powder consisting' of the ingredients of black blasting powder, to

which combination'is added from 1 to 35% of carbohydrates and other non-explosive, oxygen deficient organic substances.

2. A blasting powder with decreased tendencies (compared with current commercial grades of blasting powders), to ignite inflammable gases and dusts or mixtures thereof, of which those occurring in coalmines' are examples, consisting of `the ingredients of black blasting powder, to which combination is added from 5 to 35% starch and sugar and 1 to 15% paraffin and rosin.

3. A blasting powder with decreased tendencies (compared with current commercial grades ofblasting powders), to ignite inflammable gases and dusts or mixtures thereof, of which those occurring in coalmines are examples, consisting of from to sodium nitrate, from 1 to 15% sulphur, and from 10 to 25% characoal, to which combination is added from 10 to 30%fstarch and 1 to 10% rosin.

4. A blasting powder consisting of 40% sodium nitrate, 16% potassium nitrate, 8% sulphur, 16% charcoal, 16% starch, V2% paraffin, and 2% rosin. f

V In testimony'whereof he aiiixes his signa-- caan lD- PRATT.-

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